Petr Yan retained the bantamweight title 48-47 on all cards over Merab Dvalishvili; Dana White says his next opponent is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley.
From 43 reports by 22 outlets
Latest White says Yan's next opponent is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley 3 updates 22 outlets
Results
Main card
- Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili unanimous decision (48-47 x3), R5 5:00 Bantamweight title fight
- Lone'er Kavanagh vs Ramazan Temirov TKO, R1
What we know
- Yan retained the UFC bantamweight title, which he took from Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in December 2025.
- All three judges scored the fight 48-47 for Yan, who now leads the trilogy 2-1.
- Dana White said the next challenger is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley, and the UFC has not picked between them.
- Yan said he will fight whoever the UFC offers, naming Song Yadong.
Reported, not confirmed
- Daniel Cormier called Song Yadong the real No. 1 contender on the broadcast and did not mention O'Malley. MMA Mania
Disputed
- Dvalishvili's takedown attempts are disputed: Super Lutas says a UFC-record 58, Yahoo Sports credited him with 47, five successful. Super Lutas
Yan started slowly. Dvalishvili's constant takedown pressure won the opening two rounds, but from round three Yan stopped the takedowns and took over with body shots and clean strikes. Dvalishvili was credited with 47 takedown attempts in the fight according to Yahoo Sports, with only five successful, while Super Lutas reports a UFC-record 58 attempts.
The win ends the trilogy in Yan's favor and puts Dvalishvili's comeback plans on hold. Dvalishvili took the loss without excuses, saying Yan was the better man on the night.
The next challenger is open. Yan said the promotion picks his opponents, while Yahoo Sports reports commentator Daniel Cormier called Song Yadong, who was cageside, the real No. 1 contender and did not mention Sean O'Malley. MMA Mania suggests O'Malley could end up on the outside if the UFC goes with Song.
The win ends the trilogy in Yan's favor and puts Dvalishvili's comeback plans on hold. Dvalishvili took the loss without excuses, saying Yan was the better man on the night.
The next challenger is open. Yan said the promotion picks his opponents, while Yahoo Sports reports commentator Daniel Cormier called Song Yadong, who was cageside, the real No. 1 contender and did not mention Sean O'Malley. MMA Mania suggests O'Malley could end up on the outside if the UFC goes with Song.
- Summary
- Petr Yan retained the bantamweight title 48-47 on all cards over Merab Dvalishvili; Dana White says his next opponent is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley.
- Key points (one per line)
- Petr Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision (48-47 on all three cards) at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi
Yan leads the trilogy 2-1
Dana White says the next challenger is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley; none is booked
Yan says he fights whoever the UFC offers
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/23/merab-dvalishvili-willing-to-fight-again-next-month-with-one-exception-following-petr-yan-loss/
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/merab-dvalishvili-wants-fight-song-043745816.html
Blood & Sweat | https://www.bloodandsweat.ru/2026/10/merab-dvalishvili-gotov-podratsya-s-yadongom-songom-v-noyabre/
BJPenn.com | https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/merab-dvalishvili/merab-dvalishvili-is-open-to-defending-against-song-yadong-if-he-wins-at-ufc-333/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/merab-dvalishvili-already-picked-his-next-opponent-before-facing-petr-yan-tonight
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/merab-dvalishvili-will-fight-anybody-next-month-except-one-man
MMA Fighting | https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/517527/ufc-333-results-petr-yan-thwarts-merab-dvalishvili-in-trilogy-with-masterful-performance-to-retain-title
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/petr-yan-defeats-merab-dvalishvili-203138683.html
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/petr_yan_vs_merab_dvalishvili_result_tiebreaker_trilogy_fight_goes_the_distance_at_ufc_333_co_main_event/s1_17651_44469281
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/petr-yan-storms-back-on-merab-dvalishvili-in-ufc-333s-fight-of-the-year-contender
Heavy on UFC | https://heavy.com/sports/ufc/petr-yan-successfully-defends-ufc-333/
MMA Insight | https://mmainsight.com/news/petr-yan-beats-merab-dvalishvili-again-by-unanimous-decision-at-ufc-333
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/had-merab-winning-fighters-react-203736044.html
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/mma/article/petr-yan-conquers-merab-dvalishvili-with-thrilling-come-from-behind-win-in-ufc-333-trilogy-fight-204626093.html
Lowking | https://www.lowking.pl/petr-yan-pokonal-meraba-dvalishviliego-na-ufc-333-obronil-pas-wagi-koguciej/
MMA Fanatik Slovakia | https://sport.aktuality.sk/mma-fanatik/video-najvyrovnanejsi-zapas-v-trilogii-petr-yan-vs-merab-dvalishvili-sme-spoznali-vitaza-a-sampiona-bantamovej-vahy/
InTheCage | https://inthecage.pl/ufc-333-petr-yan-obronil-pas-po-zwyciestwie-w-trylogii-z-merabem-dvalishvilim/
Fight Site Croatia | https://www.jutarnji.hr/sportske/fightsite/ufc/nevjerojatan-mec-jana-i-dvalisvilija-fantasticni-ruski-borac-zadrzao-je-titulu-prvaka-15759086
Kimura | https://www.kimura.se/petr-yan-merab-dvalishvili-trilogin-ufc-333/
La Sueur | https://lasueur.com/petr-yan-remporte-sa-trilogie-contre-merab-dvalishvili-dans-une-bataille-phenomenale-24-10-2026
SUPER LUTAS | https://www.superlutas.com.br/noticias/379716/merab-dvalishvili-comeca-forte-quebra-recorde-perde-petr-yan-ufc-333/
MMA.pl | https://mma.pl/petr-yan-wciaz-na-tronie-rosjanin-pokonal-dvalishviliego-po-szalonym-starciu/
Ag. Fight | https://agfight.com/ufc/ufc-333-petr-yan-vence-trilogia-contra-merab-dvalishvili-e-mantem-cinturao-peso-galo/
FightTime.ru | https://fighttime.ru/news/item/44484-pjotr-yan-pobedil-meraba-dvalishvili-na-ufc-333-i-vyigral-trilogiyu.html
MMAPLANET | https://mmaplanet.jp/242237
MMA Fanatik Slovakia | https://www.mmafanatik.eu/napinava-trilogia-pozna-svojho-vitaza-reakcie-bojovnikov-na-titulovy-zapas-yan-vs-dvalishvili-3-na-ufc-333/
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/give_me_song_yadong_petr_yan_warns_every_opponent_after_defeating_merab_dvalishvili_at_ufc_333_trilogy/s1_17730_44469424
MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/ufc-333-fight-card-start-time-live-stream-volkanovski-vs-evloev/481428/watch-ufc-333-video-highlights-results-abu-dhabi-paramount-yan-merab-trilogy
MMA Fighting | https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/517533/i-had-merab-winning-pros-react-to-petr-yan-winning-another-epic-battle-against-merab-dvalishvili-at-ufc-333
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/petr_yan_vs_merab_dvalishvili_result_tiebreaker_trilogy_fight_goes_the_distance_at_ufc_333/s1_17651_44469281
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/6ab3878d-09da-4feb-b261-ab6059708f07/petr-yan-beats-merab-dvalishvili-unanimous-decision-keeps-bantamweight-title-ufc-333
SUPER LUTAS | https://www.superlutas.com.br/noticias/379734/video-luta-assista-melhores-momentos-vitoria-petr-yan-sobre-merab-dvalishvili-ufc-333/
Blood & Sweat | https://www.bloodandsweat.ru/2026/10/petr-yan-ya-znal-chto-merab-budet-davat-drugoj-temp-i-mne-nuzhno-bylo-potratit-ego-sily/
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/had-merab-winning-pros-react-205154543.html
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/forget-sean-o-malley-song-214417739.html
MMA Fanatik Slovakia | https://www.mmafanatik.eu/video-najvyrovnanejsi-zapas-v-trilogii-petr-yan-vs-merab-dvalishvili-sme-spoznali-vitaza-a-sampiona-bantamovej-vahy/
MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/ufc-333-fight-card-start-time-live-stream-volkanovski-vs-evloev/481819/forget-sean-omalley-song-yadong-gets-the-no-1-contender-rub-at-ufc-333
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ufc-333-highlights-yan-outclasses-204559980.html
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned | https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ufc-333-results-petr-yan-204616062.html
Yardbarker MMA | https://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/give_me_song_yadong_king_kong_anybody_petr_yan_warns_every_opponent_after_defeating_merab_dvalishvili_at_ufc_333_trilogy/s1_17730_44469523
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/08e68001-76d7-4731-8ea2-7484b0c7c9d5/dana-white-says-it-would-be-tough-to-say-no-to-petr-yan-as-greatest-bantamweight-ever
Blood & Sweat | https://www.bloodandsweat.ru/2026/10/merab-dvalishvili-petr-yan-pobedil-menya-segodnya-on-byl-luchshe/
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/f698b477-fad9-4e39-a006-9961eb24b5c8/dana-white-petr-yan-next-opponent-song-yadong-or-sean-omalley
Last edited:
Fighters in this story
Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan
Song Yadong
Lone'er Kavanagh
Ramazan Temirov
Alexander Volkanovski
Movsar EvloevHow the story developed
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White says Yan's next opponent is Song Yadong or Sean O'Malley
Combat Sports UK
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Yan says he fights anyone the UFC offers; Cormier pushes Song Yadong as No. 1 contender
Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned
Sources
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Yahoo Sports MMA / Uncrowned
×8
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Yardbarker MMA
×4
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Combat Sports UK
×3
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Blood & Sweat
×3
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Knockout Daily
×3
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MMA Fanatik Slovakia
×3
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MMA Fighting
×2
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SUPER LUTAS
×2
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MMA Mania
×2
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Bloody Elbow
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BJPenn.com
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Heavy on UFC
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MMA Insight
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Lowking
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InTheCage
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Fight Site Croatia
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Kimura
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La Sueur
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MMA.pl
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Ag. Fight
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FightTime.ru
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MMAPLANET
Summarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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